New California laws taking effect today target issues ranging from the open display of unloaded handguns to the sale of shark fins as well as recognition of societal contributions by gays and lesbians. Here is a sampling.

HEALTH

Children and STDs

AB 499 allows children 12 or older to seek medical care for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases without parental consent, including vaccinations against human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer. (Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, D-San Diego)

Food and drugs

AB 688 prohibits stores from selling baby food, infant formula or over-the-counter drugs after their expiration or "use by" date. (Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Sacramento)

Tanning beds

SB 746 bars children under 18 from using tanning beds. (Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance)

Cadmium in jewelry

SB 929 bans the use of cadmium in children's jewelry. (From a 2010 bill by Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, that called for delayed implementation.)

Needle exchange

AB 604 allows the state Department of Public Health to allow a two-year needle exchange program in any location where it determines that conditions exist for rapid spread of HIV, viral hepatitis or other dangerous infections. (Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley)

PUBLIC SAFETY

Open carry

AB 144 outlaws openly carrying unloaded handguns in public, with exceptions for police, parade participants, target shooters and others. (Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge)

Victims' rights

AB 648 requires a governor to notify local prosecutors about a pending commutation request 10 days before taking action on it. Those district attorneys must then try to notify victims and their family members. (Assemblyman Marty Block, D-San Diego)

Car booster seats

SB 929 requires young children to remain in car booster seats until age 8, unless they reach a height of 4 feet 9 inches before then. (Sen. Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa)

Cough medications

SB 514 bans the sale of cough, cold or other over-the-counter medicines containing the chemical dextromethorphan to minors without a prescription. (Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto)

Drunken drivers

AB 1601 allows a 10-year driver's license revocation for three drunken driving convictions within a 10-year period. (From a 2010 bill by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, that called for delayed implementation)

EDUCATION

Gay history

SB 48 requires social science instruction in public schools to include the contributions of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender Americans, as well as people with disabilities. (Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco)

Epilepsy medication

SB 161 permits school districts to allow nonmedical employees who volunteer and receive training to administer medication to epileptic students who suffer a seizure while on campus. (Sen. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar)

Military and college tuition

AB 882 ensures that military service members and their dependents do not lose residency status at California colleges if they are sent outside the state. (Assemblymen Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, and Bob Blumenfield, D-Woodland Hills)

English, math standards

AB 250 creates a process to align school curriculum, instruction and student testing with the common core standards in English and mathematics that were adopted in 2010. (Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica)

Career education

AB 1330 lets school districts offer a course in career technical education as an alternative to foreign language or visual/performing arts as a high school graduation requirement from 2012-13 through 2016-17. (Assemblyman Warren Furutani, D-Gardena)

Student athletes

AB 25 requires schools to remove from play a student athlete who sustains a possible concussion, and mandates that the player receive medical clearance before returning to competition. (Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, D-Castro Valley)

ENVIRONMENT

Shark fins

AB 376 bans possession, sale or distribution of shark fins in California, with limited exceptions. (Assemblymen Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, and Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael)

Renewable energy sources

SB X1 2 requires public and private utilities to obtain 33 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020, raising the previous target from 20 percent. (Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto)

Los Angeles stadium

SB 292 provides for an expedited review of environmental challenges to a proposed NFL football stadium and convention center project in downtown Los Angeles. (Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles)

Sacramento arena

AB 900 creates a fast-track environmental review process for sports, cultural and other large job-creating projects that do not worsen air pollution. The bill could benefit a Sacramento arena project, among others. (Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo)

IMMIGRANTS

College scholarships

AB 130 allows undocumented immigrants to apply for privately funded scholarships if they currently meet the criteria for paying resident tuition. Similar legislation for state-funded financial aid will not take effect until 2013. (Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles)

Proof of residency

AB 207 bars school districts from requiring proof of legal U.S. residency as a condition of enrollment by mandating that they accept "reasonable evidence" of district residency, such as a parental declaration. (Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco)

Sobriety checkpoints

AB 353 tackles an issue affecting undocumented immigrants, among others, by banning the impoundment of a vehicle at a sobriety checkpoint if the driver's only offense is lack of a valid license. (Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles)

Student government

AB 844 makes undocumented immigrants who are attending California State University or community colleges eligible to be compensated for serving in student government if they currently meet criteria for paying resident tuition. (Assemblyman Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens)

ELECTIONS

Online voter registration

SB 397 requires the state to create a process for Californians to submit voter registration applications via computer. (Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco)

November ballot measures

SB 202 restricts ballot initiatives and referendums to the November ballot, when turnout tends to be higher and more advantageous to Democrats. (Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley)

New citizens

AB 84 allows California residents who become U.S. citizens in the final days before an election to register and cast votes until polls close. (Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino)

Sex offenders

AB 193 prohibits the homes of registered sex offenders from being used as polling places. (Assemblyman Steve Knight, R-Palmdale)

Tenants and political signs

SB 337 bars landlords from prohibiting tenants from posting small political signs. (Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego)

BUSINESS

Credit reports and hiring

AB 22 prohibits use of consumer credit reports in hiring new workers, except for selected jobs, such as law enforcement. (Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia)

E-Verify and employers

AB 1236 bans the state, cities and counties from requiring private employers to use the electronic verification system called E-Verify to determine that an applicant is a legal U.S. resident. (Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino)

Alcohol and self-checkout lanes

AB 183 bars stores from selling beer, wine or liquor through self-checkout lanes. (Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco)

Genetic tests and discrimination

SB 559 prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, emergency services or by businesses based upon information gleaned from genetic testing. (Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles)

Same-sex couples' benefits

SB 117 bans a state agency from approving a contract of $100,000 or more for goods or services if the contractor provides different benefits for same-sex and male-female spouses or domestic partners. (Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego)

LABOR

Farmworkers

SB 126 gives farmworkers greater protections in labor-organizing disputes, partly by allowing the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to certify a labor organization if it finds gross employer misconduct that prevents a fair union election. (Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento)

Labor agreements

SB 922 prohibits cities and counties from adopting a blanket ban of project labor agreements – which typically benefit union workers – on construction projects. (Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento)

Independent contractors

SB 459 bans employers from "willful misclassification" of workers as independent contractors, setting penalties of up to $15,000 per violation. (Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro)

Private vendors

AB 740 strengthens restrictions on state agencies, forcing them to end business immediately with a private vendor if the State Personnel Board rules that the contract violates state law. (Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, D-Woodland Hills)

OTHER

Foster care

AB 12 extends transitional foster care benefits to young adults between ages 18 and 21 if they agree to remain in school or find employment. (From a 2010 bill by Assemblyman Jim Beall, D-San Jose, and then-Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles)

Smoking and rentals

SB 332 permits landlords to ban smoking in or around rental units. (Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles)

Fingerprint requirement

AB 6 eliminates the requirement that food stamp recipients be fingerprinted. (Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, D-Sylmar)

Government bankruptcy

AB 506 bars local government agencies from filing for bankruptcy until they undergo mediation or declare a fiscal emergency that threatens the public's health, safety or well-being. (Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont)

Medical marijuana

AB 1300 authorizes local governments to regulate the location, operation or establishment of a medical marijuana dispensary. (Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, D-Woodland Hills)

Homeless youths

AB 1111 bars a court from garnishing wages of a homeless person fined for truancy, loitering, curfew violations or illegal lodging until he or she reaches age 25. (Assembly members Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego, and Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles)

Infused alcohol

SB 32 lets bars and restaurants color, flavor or blend spirits or wine for consumption on their premises. (Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco)

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